Shutdown, Storms Jam Travel as TSA Warns of Airport Closures
TSA warned airports could shut if callouts rise after DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 14, as severe weather and staffing shortages sparked roughly 1,100 to almost 13,000 U.S. flight cancellations or delays.
CBS NewsBlizzards, severe storms, heat wave hit U.S. with array of extreme weather
CBS NewsThousands of flights canceled or delayed as weather and TSA staffing upend travel
MEDIAiteTSA Administrator Warns Airports Might ‘Quite Literally Shutdown’ If Callout Rates Continue to Increase
CNNLawmakers unflinching in DHS shutdown fight that could drag on for weeks as airport lines and travel anxieties grow | CNN Politics
Overview
Acting TSA deputy Adam Stahl warned that some airports could "quite literally shut down" if callout rates rise while agents remain unpaid after DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 14.
Blizzards, tornado warnings and a Southwest heat dome disrupted travel and safety, and AccuWeather said more than 200 million people faced dangerous weather.
Lawmakers remain deadlocked over DHS funding, with Democrats demanding ICE reforms and Republicans refusing to fund parts of the department, and negotiators warned the stalemate could continue through Congress' two-week recess.
More than 50,000 TSA agents staff about 450 airports while roughly 300 to 366 agents resigned and callout rates topped 30% at several hubs, creating wait times as long as 120 minutes.
Democrats plan to force a House vote later this week to fund DHS absent immigration enforcement, and Sen. Markwayne Mullin is set to appear before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as an escalating operational crisis by foregrounding alarming official warnings and stark statistics. They use evocative language ('unraveling', 'chaos'), prioritize TSA and DHS voices and dramatic quotes ('may have to quite literally shut down airports'), and juxtapose long wait times and unpaid staff to stress systemic strain.
FAQ
DHS funding lapsed on February 14 due to a congressional deadlock, with Democrats demanding ICE reforms and Republicans refusing to fund certain immigration enforcement parts of the department.
Acting TSA deputy Adam Stahl warned that airports could shut down if callout rates rise further, as over 50,000 TSA agents remain unpaid, with 300-366 resignations and callout rates over 30% at some hubs causing 120-minute wait times.
Staffing shortages from unpaid TSA agents, combined with blizzards, tornado warnings, and a Southwest heat dome, led to 1,100 to 13,000 U.S. flight cancellations or delays, affecting over 200 million people per AccuWeather.
Democrats plan a House vote to fund DHS without immigration enforcement, and Sen. Markwayne Mullin will appear before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday; airline CEOs urge Congress to pass acts guaranteeing pay for TSA and air traffic controllers.
TSA has over 50,000 agents at 450 airports, but 300-366 have resigned since the shutdown, with callout rates topping 30% at several airports, exacerbating delays amid severe weather.
